brand new duke 2 in best

marsos52 · Post by **marsos52** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:16 pm

ive been looking at simpson brushes for a year or more
frankly i was afraid to buy one because of the comments and posts here at smf so i went it rooneys

i have two rooneys both in sytle 1 one is size 1 and the other is size 2
both in super and i enjoy each they are good with saops and creams
lather like crazy and hold the lather for days

now that simpsons are back on track and i here better that ever i thought now is the time a few weeks ago i ordered a duke 2 best

today i finally recieved the new brush knowing it was due today i waited to do my daily shave well the brush looks wonderful and its so soft i was so excited did my prep and set out my gear mwf, loxey with a merkur etc etc making lather was routine nothing really different

lathering my face i couldnt beleive how soft this brush is totally different than my rooneys actually i had to paint the lather on my face because its so soft there isnt any choice

next pass there isnt any soap in the brush i had to load again and make new lather how come? third pass now the brush has soap in it but not much even to paint my face i tried a little squeeze on the bristles to see how much soap the bristles are holding and there isnt alot

with my rooneys they both hold soap for more than 3 passes
infact normally i get enough for 4 passes and still have enough to lather my face after i am done shaving for conditioning my skin

i know its only my first time using this brush everthing seems very nice with it and it didnt shed not a hair its feels so nice of the shave but is so floppy and doesnt hold a lot of water and not a lot of soap

so i ask all the simpson users is this the way these brushes are

finally the brush has a nice bloom the handle is very nice i am looking forward to see how this duke does tomorrow

i jsut expected it to hold water and saop better tomorrow is will try the same and use more soap

marc

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:04 pm

narc, Try it with a soft English cream tomorrow. How it performs with that should tell you something......and let us know.
Regards,
Gordon

marsos52 · Post by **marsos52** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:42 pm

ok gordon i will try it with trumpers cocnut or edwin jagger cream

good idea i thought the duke was better than a chubby for soaps

marc

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:49 pm

marc, No, even when Simpson made them, that wasn't necessarily true. The CH1 Best I briefly had was one of the finest hard soap brushes I've ever used. I think that how your new Duke performs with one of those creams should be instructive.
Regards,
Gordon

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:46 pm

Hi Marc and Gordon -

The Duke 2 is a smaller brush than the small/Size 1 Rooneys, and it isn't as dense as the Rooneys, so it makes sense to me that it wouldn't hold as much lather as the others.

Nevertheless, loading soap onto my pre-Vulfix Duke 2 and working it in a bowl, I can get plenty of lather.

The Duke is a very popular brush, but I am rather disappointed in mine. It doesn't have a dense knot and it is very flexible (rather "mushy"), as I see it. I way prefer my Commodore 3 (Best) and Eagle 3 (Pure), which are also pre-Vulfix.

- Murray

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:51 pm

Murray, Well that's interesting. How old is your D2? All the D3s that I've seen have been quite dense and therefore pretty firm.
Regards,
Gordon

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:08 pm

Hi Gordon - I got all three of my Simpsons after we got word that Vulfix had bought them out, but before the Vulfix-Simpsons appeared for sale. As proof, the decal was quickly shed from all three!

The Commodore has a very short loft and a larger knot, but it feels dense, it has good backbone, and it is very soft at the tips. In the illustrations, it looked like the Commodore had a lesser version of Simpson's Best Badger, but in person, it is at least as good as that in my Duke. I'm quite impressed with the Commodore.

- Murray

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:19 pm

Murray, I know about the Commodore and always thought it a good buy, although traditionally the bristle was a bit lower grade than in the Dukes, Polo Bests, etc. Your Duke brushes do not sound typcial though. Perhaps they were getting weird or quite variable there towards the very end. As I mentioned, all the D3s that I've seen were very like CH1s. only a bit longer handle and not quite AS dense, but still pretty firm. Certainly not even remotely 'floppy' as the initial poster described his.
Regards,
Gordon

msandoval858 · Post by **msandoval858** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:35 pm

I've seen the new Chubby models, but have yet to see a new Vulfix made Duke yet. My Duke 2 is anything but floppy. It's actually one of my favorite soap brushes in my collection.

Is there any possibility we could see some pics of this new brush?

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:52 pm

Mike, I know it's too early to tell, really, but my niggling fear ever since I heard that that Vulfix deal was in the wind, has been that we'd end up with essentially Vulfix Supers that were just a tad denser, rather then what the Simpsons were really like. And this chap Chris' report on his new D2 kind of awakened those concerns. Not that there's anything 'wrong' with Vulfix Supers, I often recommend them to members on the forum, but if I'm buying a 'Simpson', then that is not what I'm looking for. 'Floppy' Duke models? I don't find this very encouraging.
Regards,
Gordon

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:03 pm

Well, my Duke 2, which appears to be pre-Vulfix, does not sound like the Dukes described by Gordon and Mike. It sounds closer to what Marc is describing in his post-Vulfix brush.

I don't have a digital camera to show mine, but I would be willing to send it to a member well versed in things Simpson for an experienced assessment.

I might point out that my perspective is influenced by the fact that I lather in a bowl and find pure badger brushes to do the best job of this. They have the backbone, without requiring a very dense knot. I find that this combination of pure badger backbone and a moderately dense knot makes a denser lather and makes it more quickly, without hoarding it in the knot. Of my "silvertip-class" brushes (Rooney Supers, Shavemac, and Savile Row), the Commodore is the best of the bunch and the Duke brings up the rear.

- Murray

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:19 pm

I might add that when I got the Duke, I called Lee Cantor at Lee's Razors and told him I wanted to buy a Tulip 2. I explained that I was looking for a stiffer brush than what I got in the Duke and that I was hoping to find that in a brush with Simpson Super bristle.

Lee told me that he would be happy to sell me a T2, but that he didn't think I would get what I was looking for. He recommended the Commodore 3. The knot in my Commodore is perfectly shaped, making me wonder if I was fortunate enough to get a brush done by that one outstanding Simpson knotter. The knot in the Duke is pretty good, but it isn't perfect.

- Murray

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:39 pm

Murray, Well, at the very least, I think it's fairly safe to say that ordering from Lee you were more likely to get an older brush with the Commodore model than with Dukes or Tulips, because the Commodores probably moved more slowly.
Regards,
Gordon

Sfox7076 · Post by **Sfox7076** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:19 am

Sigh, brush reformulation.... I cannot handle it anymore. I still sit atop my Coates' stash, using MWF on occasion as well. I guess there isn't that much that we can do, unless we want to start knotting our own.

Shawn

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:53 am

Shawn, Yeah, well, I hear you. While Vulfix is a fine shave brush maker, I've been concerned for some time that once they were producing 'Simpsons' that they would almost inevitably inch toward making them more in their own 'house style'. The most recent Simpson that I have is a PJ2 that was, suppossedly, from the last of the pre-Vulfix lot, and frankly, in most respects, it feels and performs more like a Vulfix Super then it does like the PJs of several years back. It's not as densely packed as my BK4 to be honest. The only thing that keeps it from being 'floppy' is that in this particular specimen, the bristle is pretty heavy guage stuff. Simpson brushes were unique. If they become more Vulfix-like, than the closest thing to the old ones remaining on the market will be those Rooney Heritage models, and a few of their Supers. BTW, I've decided not to try and deliberately 'sit on' my Coate's stash, but rather to use it up, because all the pots I have are beginning to dehydrate, and I don't want them to go to waste. After that, I suppose it will be T&H, Taylors, and a few soaps for me.....sigh. I am glad that I have a couple of choice earlier Simpsons, I must say.
Regards,
Gordon

Sfox7076 · Post by **Sfox7076** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:06 am

Sit was a bit misleading. I use it, but I can only shave once per day (without irritation anyway). Gordon, we just need to figure out a humidor like equivalent for shave cream. I should file the patent now... Anyway, I have a two band T2, a two band CH2, a three band CH3, and a 3 band major. Those are my old Simpsons. Now, I still have that Vulfix two band I got from Corey. I have not pulled it from the box in a year I would imagine. I just cannot deal with floppiness. I think it is going to get a new home with Clive sometime soon. I have a Rooney 2 Finest that is nice, but I cannot say I like it as much as my chubby 2. I also just got one of the real horn shavemacs, but it keeps loosing hairs. I also have a few vintage, never used brushes from American makers and a 2-3 Northwood's Crafters brushes (made by Pete and I must tell you, they are the best value for the money by far). I had the latter make brushes in best for my groomsmen. They came out great, and sure they were 3 band, but they have been more durable then the Shavemac. I am considering getting a heritage once I remove the Vulfix from my inventory... I cannot justify so many brushes...

Shawn

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:32 am

Shawn, Well, there is some reason to hope, based on Mike's recent posts, that the Chubby models may remain pretty dense and firm, those being famous, and the signature line. But I have serious doubts about the rest of them. I really have only two older Simpsons; a three banded T3, and a PL8 Best, but that's okay. Like you, I have more brushes than is called for anyway, and I'm thinking of selling two or three that I have. But even if I, personally, don't have any burning desire to get more Simpsons, it would be a shame if those unique brushes were available in name only. I only have four pots of Coate's ( and a couple of tubes ) and they're all starting to harden up. So, if I'm sensible, I'll use them almost daily, because the other creams I have could be replaced, if need be, and the soaps will last forever so there's no rush with them. If the 'real' Simpson brushes turned out to be a thing of the past, along with the superior Coate's creams, that would truly be sad.
Regards,
Gordon

Mike R · Post by **Mike R** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:50 am

Interesting. I have about a 2 year old Duke 3 Best that's a great all-around brush. It's firm, soft, and only lost a couple hairs right when I got it. Any normal, rational person could easily use this brush as his only brush and do quite well for himself.

I have a fairly new pre-Vulfix Chubby 2 Best that doesn't seem as firm as my other Simpsons. Although I have to qualify that some by saying the knot is dense, but I think its loft is on the long end (I haven't measured it, but I've compared it to lots of pictures here). The hair is very soft, and thinner and finer than my other Simpsons, almost Kent-like. It's a really nice brush, but like Gordon's concerns, it's a lot like a firmer and softer version of a Vulfix 41, rather than a dense, scrubby Simpson. But I like it.

Maybe there was a changeover period before the sale was announced and this Ch2 and Marc's Duke 2 are a product of that?

I've also got a Vulfix-era Chubby 3 Best that's fantastic - it's dense, firm, and soft. I can't stop using it.

Mike

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:03 am

Mike, Yeah, I think so. We know that Vulfix started making at least some of the handles for Simpson over two years ago, and finally we started seeing handles where, often, the brand name stickers did not wash off, and different shapes for some of them, and so forth. So, I suspect that the change over happened earlier then we were told; that there was an overlap period where Vulfix was making them, but there was still also a bit of older stock around that was also on the market.
Regards,
Gordon

Mike R · Post by **Mike R** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:16 am

Hopefully the changeover is complete and all their brushes will be like my new Chubby 3. I could get by with just that as my only brush (as long as I could keep a Vulfix 41 and a Duke 3 and a BK4 and a Shavemac and maybe a couple others. And I'll probably end up wanting a Plisson sooner or later, so one of them, too).

Mike

SMF

brand new duke 2 in best

brand new duke 2 in best

Simfix